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okay so i finally have time and some extra scratch to begin work on my costume this is a rough sketch of what i want it to look like
but i can decide on what i should use to build it i want a thick plastic that is easy to manipulate at least 1/8 of an inch thick
any ideas?

so the colors on the pic are not exactly what i want
Armor - hammered metal / Deep Purple
jumpsuit - charcoal
the helmet will have the same colors and it will be custom
a cross between Boba, Rohlan Dyre and Shredder from ninja turtles
it only exists in my head but as soon as i put pen to paper i will post it for everyone to criticize

I think your design looks good--definitely different in several ways. I am curious about two things: What method will you use to secure the bands going around the upper arm? Are they meant to be armor or decorative? I also wonder if you won't have a problem with your torso plates. They seem to be rigid, with an opening running down the center of the torso, wrapping at least partway around. I've tried to develop several different ways of armoring the abdomen and torso, especially in the ribs, and I always find myself going with more, smaller segments instead of fewer, larger ones. We all know that full-torso breast plates and cuirasses "work"--they were worn for centuries. They do, however, seriously limit mobility in key areas--the arms and waist if room isn't made in those areas, and movements involving twisting. I've always thought that one of the reasons Boba's girth is so wide and his abdomen plate stops so high is to facilitate bending at the waist. I know it's just one picture--I'm probably missing something. Just be careful in your design to let the armor be unique and cover the vulnerable spots while allowing the movement a bounty hunter/soldier would require, or the demands of trooping in a pretty rigid body structure.

Ioelus the 3 pieces in the center will be rubber so the will bend with ease. As far as mobility it will be very similar to the Kevlar body armor i used to ware. So i will be able to move where i need, the only place it is kinda limiting is when i bend over i wont be able to bend my torso just at my wait and i figure if you in any kinda fire fight or scouting out a area you would drop to a knee to pick something up so that you are still in a defensive stance incase someone opens fire on you
as far as the arm bands, they are more decorative than functional and the will be curved pieces of plastic that will go on over my bicep then be twisted around until the opening is on the inside of my arm held on by pressure

BIGJON as far as my build i am 5' 11'' and my build is about the same as Montross plus i hope to have my sleeves(tattoos) finished by then i got a kinda Darth Maul thing going on

This might be a rotten way of describing it, but it's kind of like "puffed" pvc. I don't want to give the wrong impression--it IS solid. But it's like an expanded pvc. Imagine super-compressed foam board. I prefer styrene, which is heavier and has a smoother texture, like the outside of a pvc pipe. Sintra is lighter, yet still quite strong, and will have a smooth finish after painting. Styrene just feels more like armor to me. If you're familiar with Valcar on this and other boards, he's done magic with sintra. I'm always amazed to see how quickly he can create wonderful pieces in sintra.

Sintra should do the trick for your request--thick material that's easy to manipulate. I believe there are even suggestions for how to do so on the link above.

Sintra is as you discribed PVC in board form. Take note though that Sintra is a brand name not the actual name of the product. It is strong, but easy to form with just boiling water. I think its easier to work with then styrene espicaly in the thicker sizes. I would use at least 2 mm and 3mm or higher really looks like its thick metal if you sand the edges smooth. The texture inherent in the Sintra just about goes away with a few coats of paint.

Any way thats my two cents. (I am sure I mispelled badly its late and I am not all here right now.)

so does the sintra have a good weight to it or is it going to feel like i have foam board covering me?
i want something that is actually feel like armor
what kind of equipment would i need to manipulate the Styrene?

Styrene feels denser to me. If you truly want it to feel like armor, there are several members, especially those in the Dune Sea Garrison, who make their armor out of metal. Not nearly as easy to manipulate, obviously, however. Styrene (experts, please check me here) should not be heated in boiling water like sintra can be. If your piece is going to be small, a heat gun will do the trick. If the piece is larger, like your torso armor, you should probably go with an oven and low heat. There are all kinds of opinions on the best way to do it, and I've read several here. Several should come up with a search. Forum members will probably post some ideas here--I would list the ones I've read about, but I've only had experience with heat guns and toaster ovens--all pretty small pieces.

Sintra will not feel like foam board. But it sure isn't going to feel like armor, either. But that's the point of doing it with a thicker, more easily manipulated medium.

Plastics should not be heated in an oven that your ever going to eat out of again. They let of to many toxic fumes.

As to the weight the only way your going to really get something that feels like armor is to use metal. But I really think you should get some Sintra first and see what you think of it. Its not a bad medium and you might like how it turns out.

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum...no....its not pvc in board form at all...pvc is a solid plastic, sintra or foamex is an oxygenised plastic....making it into a riid foam board.....it is used in sign's if anyone has used facia board it is exaxtly the same material only the facia board is a LOT thicker

my chest, diamond and gut plate are built using facia board, the rest of my armour is made of differing thicknesses of sintra.

so in closing....sintra...not PVC

oh and that is a very cool design...i was going to do something similar with my first amndo...but i decided against it because my build isnt there yet...but im undergoing military training within 2 weeks time so im hoping i will build up some arms soon LOL

sintra is deffinitly the way to go though....almost all my armour projects have it involved!